


Beneath Her

by fanonorcanon



Series: Dragon Age Ficlets [3]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: D/s dynamic, Domme Inquisitor, F/M, Misunderstandings, Power Dynamics, Sub Cullen Rutherford
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-01
Updated: 2019-10-01
Packaged: 2020-11-08 19:54:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20841107
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fanonorcanon/pseuds/fanonorcanon
Summary: “Maker’s breath, can we talk about something else?” Cullen huffed.“We could, yes. But it’s so much fun to see you all flustered like that,” Astrid laughed.“Far be it from me to tell the Herald where to take her fun. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.”





	Beneath Her

“Maker’s breath, can we talk about something else?” Cullen huffed.

“We could, yes. But it’s so much fun to see you all flustered like that,” Astrid laughed. 

“Far be it from me to tell the Herald where to take her fun. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.” His brow was furrowed as he stomped away, a contrast to the handsome blush that colored his cheeks and ears.

* * *

Astrid toyed with the map markers at the war table. Josephine and Leliana had left to meet with a minor nobleman and insisted they’d return shortly. They’d been gone for over twenty minutes and the silence between her and Cullen was growing stifling.

“I’m sorry, Commander. I hadn’t meant to offend,” she blurted out.

“What?” Cullen looked genuinely puzzled.

“What I said before, poking fun at what you said about a Templar’s vows. It was in poor taste and very inappropriate. I really am. Sorry, I mean,” she began to ramble on aimlessly.

“It’s in the past,” he replied simply.

“I’d like to get to know you better. I’d like to get to know all of my advisors better. It seems remiss of me not to.”

“Indeed, that does seems wise.”

“What sorts of hobbies do you have? Maybe we could…” she trailed off in the face of Cullen’s frosty expression. “Never mind, I’m sorry to bother you.” She left the room without another word.

* * *

“Where is the Inquisitor?” Josephine asked.

“She left. Quite abruptly I might add,” Cullen grumbled.

“There must have been a reason. She’s a very reasonable person. What did you say to her?” Josephine frowned then pinned Cullen with a sharp glare that she typically reserved for misbehaving nobles.

“I didn’t say anything!” He was frustrated. How does one be purposefully distant without giving offense; he thought for not the first time that day. 

Leliana entered the room silently and joined the others at the table. “Perhaps it was less of what he said and more of what he didn’t,” Leliana sighed.

“You still haven’t told her?” Josephine asked with a scowl.

“And I don’t plan to,” he said, his arms crossed tight against his chest. “Nothing good would come of it, I’m certain.”

“Is it too much to ask, Commander, if you could make an attempt at polite conversation?” Josephine asked with her hand on her hip.

“She’s given much to the Inquisition. She has earned your respect, Commander, at the very least,” Leliana said coldly.

“I do respect her! You know I do. I just think she deserves-” he began.

“Not this again!” Josephine spat angrily.

“Enough,” Leliana said quietly. “Cullen, perhaps you would like to play chess with the Inquisitor tonight? I hear she wishes to get to know us all better, you in particular.”

The muscles in his jaw clenched as he nodded. “As you say, Sister Nightingale.” 

* * *

“I may not be very good at chess, Commander, but even I can tell when you’re throwing the game,” Astrid sighed.

He averted his eyes but said nothing.

“If you don’t want to be here, you may leave. I apologize that my presence is so intolerable.” Astrid walked away from the board and sat at her desk. He sat there, resolute. Moments became minutes and neither spoke a word. Astrid sifted through the paperwork that had accumulated. Once halfway through the pile, she sighed. “You’re dismissed Commander, I thought that was obvious,” Astrid said wearily.

He still couldn’t bring himself to meet her gaze.

“I don’t dislike you,” Cullen said, his voice just above a whisper. 

“I wouldn’t mind even if you did. I only hope that it doesn’t put a strain on operations in the Inquisition.” Astrid smiled but it was forced.

“If I’m being honest, Inquisitor, I’m quite fond of you,” Cullen said. His fists were clenched tightly where they rested on his knees. 

“Enough, Commander,” Astrid spat. She stood from her desk and pushed him towards the door. “I didn’t take you for a cruel man, but you certainly are full of surprises.”

“It’s not a joke, Astrid, I assure you.”

“Just go,” Astrid said and slammed the door in his face.

“Please, listen to me.” His voice sounded raw to his own ears. He’d really fucked it up. “I hadn’t meant to tell you this way.” The door rattled in the frame. Had she kicked it? 

“Of course, Commander. You’d rather have not told me at all!” Astrid said angrily.

“I didn’t wish to become a liability, least of all to you,” he began.

The door swung open and he was confronted with an Inquisitor that was positively fuming. “A liability?! That’s what you’re worried about?”

“Yes, Inquisitor, a liability. Having a former lyrium addict as a-” he paused.

“A what?! Do try to finish that sentence, Commander,” Astrid said wryly.

“Must you make this so difficult?” His gaze was on the floor as he frowned, his fingers running through the hair grazing his nape. “I’m in love with you, Astrid.” His voice was hardly more than a whisper.

“I’m in no mood to discuss this now, I’d like to give you a proper answer. Perhaps when my temper has cooled,” she said not unkindly. 

“Another time then,” Cullen replied. He never meant to tell her. Now that he had he could only hope that she’d respond favorably. Whether that meant a gentle refusal or admission of mutual feelings he really couldn’t tell which he’d prefer. 

* * *

Cullen watched Astrid from a distance. She was practicing her swings with a blunt axe on a training dummy. It wasn’t her preferred war hammer but she was adept with either weapon. Her ebony skin was slick with sweat from a combination of exertion and the weather. Her breasts and stomach along with her ass jiggled with every movement. The extra weight suited her well, only adding to her natural beauty, Cullen thought. From her rounded face to her thick legs, he was entranced. It was more than a physical attraction for him and he hoped that he’d made that clear when he’d foolishly blurted out a confession several weeks ago.

“He’s still staring,” Cassandra sighed after a devastating blow that left the training dummy in pieces.

“At what?” Astrid asked, unrelenting in her practice swings.

“Your ass or tits, most likely, boss,” Bull said. He leaned on Cassandra’s shoulder.

“What do you want, Iron Bull?” Cassandra grumbled.

“Training exercise,” he replied quietly.

Cassandra held out her hand for the stick he’d brought.

“Try not to give him a concussion, Cassandra,” Astrid chuckled.

“I make no promises,” Cassandra replied with a smirk. “You really should talk to him,” she murmured before walking off with Bull.

* * *

“Is there anything I can do for you, Inquisitor?” Josephine asked brightly.

“I need to speak to you. Alone if possible,” Astrid replied.

“It sounds serious, was there an accident during a sparring match?”

Astrid shook her head.

They sat on one of the balconies attached to the Inquisitor’s private quarters, drinking tea and eating decadent chocolate cakes.

“This is about Cullen, isn’t it? Did he do something foolish? I’ve told him repeatedly to be more respectful of you and your station. It does not reflect well when the Commander of the Inquisition is at odds with the Inquisitor! What did he say?” Josephine frowned and gripped her tea cup so hard that Astrid was surprised it didn’t crack under the pressure.

“He said he was in love with me, actually,” Astrid replied with all the calmness she could muster.

“He didn’t!” Josephine bellowed.

“He shouldn’t joke like that, it’s very cruel of him.” Astrid frowned.

“I’m afraid he isn’t joking, Inquisitor. He’s been quite unreasonable about it all. Leliana of course had him figured out months ago, I realized shortly after… but I never thought he’d _actually_ confess. We’ve been urging him to say something, _anything_ to you about it. Maybe just treat you more gently, to show that he does indeed care for you very deeply.” Josephine reached across the table and held Astrid’s hand tightly. “He’s a fool, Astrid. But he is a fool that is madly in love with you.” 

“Thank you, Josie. This has been very informative.” Astrid kept up a facade of aloofness until after Josephine had excused herself. Once she was well out of ear shot, Astrid groaned. She’d been certain that Cullen was lying to get out of an awkward situation. She knew that she had a certain amount of sex appeal to people with certain… proclivities. But Cullen had not once showed even a bit of interest in her.

* * *

Astrid quietly wandered out to the rotunda and onward to the Commander’s office. She knocked on the door and entered when she was bid. Cullen sat at his desk, not sparing a glance upwards. His brow was furrowed deeply and around his eyes she saw signs that he’d gotten very little sleep. “Report,” he grumbled.

“I’d like an explanation. A proper one.”

He jolted in his seat and sat up straight. “Inquisitor!” He yelped and stood at attention. “Apologies. I didn’t know it was you.”

“An explanation,” Astrid repeated.

“Ah, yes.” Cullen hung his head. “Where would you like me to start?”

“Whenever it was that you decided it was better to be an asshole than tell me your feelings,” Astrid said cooly.

Cullen’s eyes went wide. “Apologies, my lady.”

“Go on.”

“I believe it was the first time we spoke in the training yard outside of Haven,” he said sheepishly.

“So, from the very beginning.”

“Yes, my lady.”

“And why did you think it was better to keep a distance?” Astrid crossed the room and sat on the edge of his desk.

“I didn’t think I was worthy of you.”

Astrid arched a brow. “Do you still believe that?”

“A little less so, yes.”

“What changed your mind?” Astrid pushed Cullen’s shoulder until he sat down.

“You,” he began softly. “When you said that I was being cruel. I thought perhaps that meant you felt something for me as well. Whether you do or not, and I’d understand if you don’t want-” he trailed off.

“If I don’t want what?” 

“Me.” His voice was hoarse. 

“Since you feel that you know me so well, what do you think I want to do now?”

“Slap me, probably,” Cullen groaned, resting his elbows on the desk and covered his face.

“Is that what you want me to do?” 

“I don’t know. I feel as if it’s what I deserve for treating you so poorly.”

“I believe I should get to decide on what to do with you. Meet me in my quarters after dinner.”

“As my lady commands.” Cullen bowed his head, his face felt as if aflame.

* * *

Astrid reached the top of the stairs of her room and was captivated by the vision the Commander has made. He’d moved the chair from her desk to the middle of the room and had stripped off his armor. He was down to a threadbare linen shirt and loose leather trousers. But best of all was that he was wearing a blindfold. His lips were parted, his breaths heavy and that handsome blush was coloring his cheeks and ears.

“Well this is indeed a surprise,” Astrid smirks.

“It was a stupid idea, I’ve misunderstood, haven’t I?” Cullen reaches his hands up to pull the knot loose.

“Stop. Keep your hands on your knees for now.”

Cullen shivered with the makings of anticipation. “Yes, ma'am.”

“Is this something you’ve done before, Commander?” She asks.

“No, my lady. I may have read several novels on the subject. This is the role that I found most comforting.”

“What do you wish to receive from this arrangement?”

“To obey you, to become yours beyond all reasonable doubt.”

“That seems easy enough to achieve. And what are your limits for the evening. How far are you willing to go?”

“Anything,” he whimpered.

“That’s a dangerous claim, Commander,” Astrid said, smirking. Cullen shivered with delight. “Do you have a word in mind that you wish to be able to use if you want to stop?”

“I don’t want to stop,” he countered politely.

“Be that as it may, it is good to have one.”

“Gallows,” Cullen whispered.

“Good boy.” Astrid smiled and ran her fingers through his hair. Cullen felt as she began to untie the laces of his trousers. “Help me gets these off then put your hands back where they were.” Her tone brooked no argument. Cullen nodded all the same and did as she asked.


End file.
